We spoke to a number of
students, eliciting their views on whether schools using thatched roofs should
be banned in the wake of the Kumbakonam fire mishap. Many did feel that thatched
roofs posed a grave security hazard but there were some who believed that the
thatched roofs were really not to blame. They wanted more safety devices, fire
drills, teacher-training in safety and felt the government should do more in
terms of provision of infrastructure and safety standards.
Sharmishta Acharya, student
of 10th standard:
 Yes.
Such schools should be definitely banned. Even the marriage hall incident should
have been an eye-opener for the government on fire mishaps and prevention of
mishaps. The government should encourage concrete structures for schools and
learning centres. Schools should be constructed with more escape routes.
Vivek Singh, student of 10th
standard:
 No.
There is no need of banning such schools. Because such schools charge lesser
fees as compared to the costly schools and mainly function in villages and rural
areas. Preventive steps such as more free space to escape in case of a disaster
should be strictly followed.
Richi Sharma, student of
11th standard:
 I
think such schools should be banned. Also, the state government should enact
laws to prevent thatched structures. If a school cannot spend for basic
amenities, then why function? Better to delicence such existing schools.
Sai Prasad, student of 10th
standard:
 Yes.
There should be a ban on such schools for the simple reason of preventing more
such accidents. Safer to have concrete structures since they stand strong even
during monsoon season. Thatches can get wet very quickly and pose great
discomfort. Besides there is the possibility of short circuits. Concrete does
not pose such problems. For this purpose the government should help by providing
money as funds. A lot of free space must be provided in schools as this was the
most crucial point in the Kumbakonam tragedy.
S Rajalakshmi, student of
10th standard:
 A
ban is indeed necessary. Also there should not be any activities involving fire
near the school such like cooking as may be in the given case. A lot of vaccant
space must be ensured so as to provide the best possible way in crisis
prevention.
Naveen Yadav, student of
10th standard:
 Yes.
They should be banned because they are vulnerable to fire. It is more in
government's responsibility that it should enact and ensure stricter laws
pertaining to safety in schools.
Poonam Kumari, student of
11th standard
 Should
be banned. They are very dangerous even in times of rain as there is a
possibility of short circuit and a subsequent fire in the building. Therefore it
is better to ban such structures and ensure they do not come up again.
Guraasis, student of 10th
standard:
 No.
Schools with thatched roof should not be banned. Because education will be
disturbed. There will be confusion over admission for the children of such
schools. Actually, there is no big danger from the thatched roof. But it should
be ensured that the thatch is put up above the concrete structure. For thatched
roof would keep the entire building cool and would be especially cool during
summer.
Vidya S, student of 10th
standard:
 Should
be banned. The state government owns major responsibility. Government shies away
from responsibilities. The government should ensure safety norms and concrete
buildings like in schools since the risk factor in concrete structures is low.
Nelson Daniel, student of
10th standard:
 A
ban is necessary as thatched roof can catch fire very easily. This is relevant
in the case of a short circuit too as thatched roof is vulnerable to any form of
fire. The government must help such schools in constructing proper concrete
roof.
M Karthiga, student of 10th
standard:
 Yes.
Such schools should be banned. The roof is continuously exposed to sun and is
therefore dry. And the roof is not safe during monsoon too as it can get wet
very easily. Government should assume greater responsibility and assure a safer
future.
Satyendra Kumar Tiwari,
student of 10th standard:
 Should
be banned. Government should take preventive steps to stop any such future
disasters. We should also not go for cheaper modes of education.
Judith Mizbah, student of
12th standard:
No. Should not be banned.
Politicians should concentrate more on education. They do not have any concern
and I would hold them responsible for such mishaps.
Aditya Mohan, student of
11th standard:
 Should
be banned. In the villages and the rural areas, since the fees is less and the
people cannot also afford high fees unlike cities, it is thoroughly justified.
But in cities, certainly not. Even Kumbakonam is not a village. Also midday
meals in any school should be cooked elsewhere.
Gauri Dongre, student of
10th standard:
 Should
be banned. The government is not spending where it should actually. Good
conditions should be ensured in the future. There is a lot of risk involved in
thatched roofs.
Nishant Saxena, student of
10th standard:
 Such
schools should be banned. All facilities for students should be banned. In this
case, the kitchen seems to be the main culprit and therefore kitchen activities
must be carried on at a point away from the classrooms.
Pallavi Patil, student of
10th standard:
 Yes,
They should be banned. Anything can happen anytime. Even lightning can cause
problem. Only concrete structures should be allowed. Thatched roofs stand the
risk of getting wet during monsoon and thereby causing problems for the
students.
Ramkumar student of 11th
standard:
 No.
Such schools should not be banned. In this case, carelessness alone is the
reason. Such schools have been functioning in villages for a long time and no
major untoward incident has happened. Cooking should be avoided in such places.
Kapila G, student of 10th
standard:
 No
need for a ban. Thatched roofs should be removed from the existing structures.
The government should announce alternatives to the thatched roof.
Amit Singh, student of 10th
standard:
No, should not be banned.
Schools can have thatched but put up over concrete roof. A disaster management
should be in place. Government should open new quality education imparting
schools and the funds released for education must be properly utilised.
Suganya S, student of 10th
standard
Yes, they should be banned. New
schools with proper facilities and security norms should be built.
N Anirudh, student of 10th
standard:
 Should
be banned. Its really dangerous to life as we saw in Kumbakonam. In the future,
schools should built with a lot of free space and there should be enough
emergency exits in the case of a mishap.
Immanuel Joshua, student of
microbiology, MCC:
Yes. They should be banned.
Concrete roofs should be made mandatory. Government should fund education more
to bring about credibility. Also new policies on safety norms and education in
general should be made. Also insurance schemes may be announced as mandatory for
schools.
Abilash, student of English,
MCC:
Yes. They should be banned. It
should be confirmed that the school area is situated in a comparatively free
space. More facilities to government schools shuld be made as that may
discourage a significant number of people from going to such ill-maintained
schools. Moreover, when the news on this incident becomes stale, none is going
to talk about it.
Deepan, student of maths,
MCC:
Certainly. At a time of
modernisation, such structures are ridiculous. There is great possibility of
short circuits too, especially during rains. Government funding for such schools
may bring down such mishaps.
Anushya, student of maths,
MCC:
Yes. Because thatched roofs are
very dangerous and highly risky. Not only during summer, but the monsoon season
also poses great threat to thatched roofs. Government should make more stringent
laws and ensure they are followed.
Selvaraj, student of maths,
MCC:
Yes. A ban is necessary. Also
manual care and common sense should prevail. Schools should not function in
multi-storeyed buildings. Actually the government is just not responsive enough.
Prakash, student of maths,
MCC:
Not necessary. They still
function in villages. The education alone is important. The fire was just an
accident. They should have been prepared for it. Government should play an
active role in imparting education.
Jayanthi, student of maths,
MCC:
Such schools should be banned.
It must be ensured that henceforth no thatches are allowed in schools. But the
people in villages cannot afford high education costs. Therefore the government
should involve more in the provision of education.
Tamilselvan, student of
maths, MCC:
Ban them. Every life is
important. Asbestos sheet is no solution as voiced by so many people. Also,
schools must be barred from functioning in multi-storeyed buildings.
John M, student of
economics, MCC:
Not exactly. The thatches
should be removed. The government should ensure lot of security measures such as
more exit routes and emergency exits.
Premchandran, Student of
mass communication, Madras university:
See. I think it is going to be
a hot topic for a few more days. But all rests with the government which should
evolve long term policies and shed any ego on its part. But I don't think there
is actually a need to ban such schools. It would be a daunting task to admit all
such students in new schools and that too in a short span of time.
S Subha Prada, student of
homoepathy, Sairam College:
Yes. There is a desperate need
to ban such schools. If not there are going to be more such incidents with
similar plans of education and that is not going to provide any benefit to the
students. They'll be in constant fear, especially after watching the Kumbakonam
incident on television.
AnanthaKrishnan, student of
computer science, Quaid-e-Milleth College:
No. Not necessarily. May be the
present schools can be converted into concrete roofs with or without the help of
the government. But the government should ensure that such a mistake is not
repeated in the future.
Ashraf, student of computer
science, Mohammad Sathak College:
No. Not really. Just convert
the thatched roofs into concrete ones. I don't think any school suffers from
want of funds. In the future, such accidents should not happen and this lies in
the hands of the state government.
S Vignesh, student of
aeroengineering, Mohammad Sathak College, Ramanathapuram:
Yes.They should be banned.
Because they are defaulters. They play on the confidence of the parents who
wonder if their wards have been sent to safe places for their education. The
government should immediately terminate their licences.
Mukesh Kumar, student of BBA,
MCC:
Why not? They are constantly
under the sun and stand great chance of catching fire easily in a given
situation. The authorities should ensure that buildings in the name of schools
do not sprout like mushrooms as there is a case of quality too.
S Balaji, student of B.Com,
Sankara College:
I don't think there is an
immediate need of imposing a ban. Let all the managements convert the so-called
thatched roofs into proper ones and that should settle the problem. But the onus
is on the rulers to ensure that the conversion happens as quickly as possible.
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